Moment of Truth
by Lycan Empress
Summary: The time is now, the big unveiling that Sodapop had been waiting for. Dolores only hoped she wouldn't regret agreeing to this.


I own nothing except for my OC. This was something I wrote ages ago, 2013 to be exact, as a continuation of **About Time** that I only just recently discovered once again.

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"Ponyboy, Darry, this is my girl, Dolores."

Soda didn't take notice until she walked through his front door and into his living room that Dolores was still wearing her Sunday best from church. She looked real pretty in that dress.

"It's nice to meet you, finally." She said and smiled politely. Soda closed the screen and front door behind him and stood next to her.

"Dolores this here is my younger brother Ponyboy and my older brother Darrel." His brothers were gob smacked. Both of their jaws dropped at the sight of the colored girl. A blanket of silence lay over them until Darry sliced through it with a sigh.

"Well, I have to admit I did not see this coming." Darry rubbed his eyes, stood from his chair and dragged his younger brother outside by the shoulder of his shirt. "We need to talk."

Dolores was left alone with Ponyboy in awkward silence. Neither knew what to say and busied themselves with listening in on Sodapop and Darry outside. Dolores brushed down her skirt and kept her head down while Ponyboy watched his brothers on the porch through the window from his seat.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that you'd be okay with it. I never expected you of all people to be prejudice!"

"You know that's not the truth!"

"Then why are we fighting about it?"

"Do you realize what could happen if people found out?"

"Yes, I do."

"And did you ever once stop to think what might happen to _her_ if word gets out?"

"We've been careful. You guys didn't even find out about it till we told you."

"That's because you've been lucky kiddo!"

"For nearly a year?" Soda responded incredulously at his brother. Darry sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"… Get inside." The two brothers entered the house. Sodapop was immediately at Dolores' side. Darry walked towards the dinner table where lunch was still only half eaten and pulled out the empty chairs.

"Sit down you two." Soda took the middle chair next to Ponyboy and Dolores sat in what was previously Darry's chair beside Soda. Ponyboy stayed silent and watched, Darry gave out another sigh.

"How long has this been going on?" Darry asked steadily.

"Seven months." Soda answered, squeezing her hand to send her silent strength.

"You've been lying to us for seven months?"

"I've been keeping us safe for seven months." Soda retorted quickly and in a firm voice. Darry sighed again.

"Do her parents know about this?"

"No." Dolores answered before Soda even had the chance. An action she regretted, now they were all staring at her. "Only you two know."

"Do you have a plan on telling them?"

"Honestly, I don't and not for awhile too."

"Why not? I think they should know."

"No, they don't need to know they'll only get worried."

"With good reason." Darry countered.

"It's not the same. It's like I told Soda, it'll be a different kind of worried. They'll tell me that I can't be with him. They'll try their best to make sure I'm not seeing him anymore. They'd just get scared that he's using me and taking advantage of me and that he'll only bring trouble." Now Dolores was squeezing Soda's hand.

"Dolores, you know I'd never do that." Darry and Pony watched how their brother locked his eyes on the girl.

"I know. I really like spending time with him. I like being Soda's girl and I'd never do anything that might endanger that. I only even agreed to tell you because you're his brothers and he told me that you two weren't like _that_. So, was he right?"

"Yeah he was."

"Pony?" Soda turned to his baby brother who answered.

"Seems to me you two have made up your minds and know what you're doing. I'm okay with it. What about you Darry?" Everyone turned to the eldest and gazed with anticipation as Darry looked between the couple as if still making up his mind.

"Yeah, I guess I'm fine with it too." Dolores let out a sigh of relief and Soda's face was beaming. "You better make sure to be careful, all right?"

"Mhm." She nodded.

"Thank you so much!"

"Yeah, we promise not to tell anyone, not even the guys." Ponyboy chimed in.

"You have no idea what this means to me guys." Soda stated. While Soda got up and went around hugging his brothers, Dolores was silently counting her blessings.

"Well I guess I should get going now." Dolores stood.

"Why don't you stay for lunch?" Ponyboy offered warmly.

"I already ate lunch though."

"Then stick around and talk. Soda brought you here so we could meet you so let's meet you."

"Here Darry you can have my seat." Soda lifted his plate of grilled cheese, slid Darry's plate in front of him and stood up. Darry took his brother's chair while Soda sat on the sofa. "I'll eat on the couch."

"Well if you insist." Dolores looked around and finally decided to sit back down. Dolores for the first time scanned her surroundings and gazed around the house.

"What's wrong?" Darry asked, snapping her out of her trance.

"Nothing's wrong." Her gaze began to wander again. "So this is where Soda lives."

"What of it?" Ponyboy made sure to swallow before speaking.

"I always thought white folk's homes were nicer than black folk's." Dolores mused.

"That's only if you're a Soc." Soda laughed through his sandwich.

"I heard about those a few times but I'm not sure I know what those are. What it is a Soc?"

Ponyboy rolled his eyes at the thought of them and Darry chuckled at the confused face Dolores pulled when she saw the youngest brother's reaction. "You just opened yourself a can of worms."


End file.
